In terms of overall performance, this is one of Arsenal's worst matches in a long time. They have only conceded 3 goals in a Premier League match in nearly 3 years. The last time was a 2-3 home defeat to Manchester United in January 2026. The other time was a 4-3 away victory against Luton Town in December 2023.
Brighton's determination was shown in the first minute, when they forced David Raya to push the ball straight out of the touchline. This seemed to signal the situation for the whole match. Arsenal fell into a passive position in all situations, they had to retreat deep, follow players who were weak in defense and struggled to deploy the ball upwards.
Arsenal fans can argue that this is Arsenal's 4th consecutive away match in just 10 days (winning all 7 previous matches). However, this defeat may be a necessary drop of cold water after a too sublime start.
Brighton not only defeated Arsenal, they also did it with physical dominance - this is what the reigning Premier League champion often showed throughout the previous season. Brighton captain Fabian Hurzeler has fielded many true "running machines" such as winger Diego Gomez and Maxim De Cuyper.
In midfield, Yasin Ayari and Pascal Gross are likened to rollers that can plow continuously. Center-back Luka Vuskovic stands out with his ability to master excellent aerial ball situations. Meanwhile, Brighton's strikers know they can surround them fiercely because the rear defense is fully capable of competing for long balls from David Raya.
The first two goals were excellent individual moments. The 3rd goal was a corner kick that curled into the far post by Gross. This is a trick Brighton have tried many times in the first half and newcomer Andres headed into Arsenal's net right in their Premier League debut. This is the scenario Arsenal often scored goals last season, this time it is recreated to counter themselves.
Arsenal has only conceded 1 goal in the Premier League 2026-27 before this match. Therefore, the way they conceded too easily against Brighton 3 times will make Mikel Arteta particularly worried. The Gunners' defense, which often suppresses attacks thanks to their ability to approach the opponent's striker extremely quickly, only suffered 2.7 goals expected (xG) from the opponent before round 5, of which 0.8 xG came from Enzo Le Fee's penalty blocked in the match against Sunderland. This shows that Arsenal previously only gave the opponent very low scoring opportunities.
Along with ending a 4-game away streak, the FIFA Days holiday in October-November may help Arteta calculate more options to strengthen the defense. Injured key players will have more time to recover to be ready to return in mid-October.
